Eyes of a Demon
by Vaerin7
Summary: Sasuke hallucinating, or at least that's what he thinks.  People he knows to be dead are showing up, and he's getting injured by things others can't see.  What's going on with him and can he be treated?  And why does it seem like something else is wrong?


Eyes of a Demon

For the longest time, Uchiha Sasuke was alone. He woke up, ate, went to training, came home and went to bed… alone. He became accustomed to this, he understood that what he once had he would never have again… he never cared to try and replace it. So on the day after his sixteenth birthday, the age young shinobi are allowed to partake in alcohol, he was _slightly_ stunned to open his eyes to see his parents standing over his bed watching him.

*He's so beautiful, * his mother, Mikoto, coos.

*He's not a _child_ anymore, Mikoto, boys his age are _not_ beautiful, * Nori huffs.

*Well, _he_ is. *

"…"

*Do you think he can sense us? *

*Don't be stupid, woman, his senses are as dull as any other human. *

Sasuke stares at them a moment, fighting back the scream that wants to surface… Uchihas don't scream. After a moment of sorting through his mental fight, logic eventually beat down childishness like Sasuke beats down Naruto. He gets up and gets ready for the day as he always does, walking past the wispy figures and heading into the shower. The sounds of a lively compound outside reach his ears through the sound of the pounding water on his moonlit skin, his ears concentrating on the water flowing down the drain until his shower is finished. Now, Sasuke is a very calm person and only a few things are capable of breaking that calm mask… Naruto is one, of course, and then there's his fan club, and lastly he's not one to appreciate the knowing remarks of his sensei that always seem to needle him… so when he walks downstairs to find that breakfast is already sitting on the table waiting for him, he tries to ignore the icy shiver that passes through him. The lithe male walks straight past the table as though he never even saw the plate of warm rice and eggs and the glass of orange juice by the toast, heading straight out the door after grabbing his bag. When he opens said door, however, the bag in his grasp falls from his limp hold… the compound is swarming with those he knew to be dead and gone. He shakes his head violently, grabbing his bag and running out of the compound to get to training on time.

Naruto is talking to Sakura when he gets to the bridge, his unease obvious on his features. His teammate and best friend notices immediately, something that's always annoyed Sasuke… it's almost as though Naruto is attuned to his very soul's wavelength.

"Are you okay, Sasuke-teme?" he asks.

"Fine."

"You sure?"

"I said I'm fine, dobe, what more do you want?" he snaps.

He never likes to snap like that, especially to Naruto, but his nerves are wracked enough to throw caution to the wind if only it'll push everyone away. Then again… Naruto has never been like everyone else. No, Naruto most certainly isn't like everyone else. When Sasuke looks at his best friend, he doesn't see an annoying loudmouth like everyone else. He sees a beautiful foxy teen with spiky blonde hair like the Fourth, eyes that could shame the skies and oceans with a blue hue that couldn't be repeated in another, and an earthen bronze tan on a five foot five frame he's not ashamed to streak with on a dare. No one has been able to draw the amount of affection from Sasuke's normally cold eyes that Naruto has… No… They broke the mold when they made him, that's true enough.

"We'll talk about it later, okay?" he assures quietly.

"… I can't… I have an appointment with Tsunade later," Sasuke mutters.

"What? Are you sick? Did you get hurt? Why didn't you tell me! You _know_ I don't like anyone else taking care of my team!" Sakura shouts.

"… I don't think it's anything like that, Sakura," Naruto says quietly after a moment of staring into Sasuke's ebony orbs.

"Still… he could've come to me," Sakura pouts.

"Would you like company?"

"No, I'll be okay."

Training is just like every other day, giving Sasuke time to relax and enjoy being with Naruto. Just as they're finishing, however, Sasuke spies someone he could've sworn died in the war with the Akatsuki. He falters just a second, that person vanishing on a wind that never reaches the young Uchiha, and the next thing he knows Naruto has him pinned on the ground.

"Wahoo, I won!" the blonde shouts.

"Don't celebrate too early, dobe," Sasuke frowns not liking Naruto dominating him on the battlefield.

He jerks his body a bit, shifting the blonde's balance and working against his loss to switch their positions. Naruto lies beneath him with a cute little pout, sulking quietly at his loss once again. Sasuke smirks, feeling just a tad triumphant over gaining back his dominant rank over his little opponent.

Against his better judgment, Sasuke allows Naruto and Sakura to join him at Tsunade's tower. He vehemently argued his point, but in the end Naruto gave him those god-awful puppy dog eyes… the damn things are freaking unbeatable! The two are silent as Sasuke saunters up to Tsunade's confused figure, sets down his shinobi gear and headband, and stares her in her eyes completely straight faced.

"I request time in the hospital," he remarks solemnly.

"Damn, Sasuke-teme, if that's all you wanted I'll gladly put you there," Naruto laughs.

"You _request_ hospitalization?" Tsunade blinks in bafflement. "On what grounds?"

"I'm hallucinating," he states easily.

"… Hallucinating," she repeats unbelieving.

He nods undeterred, having decided that this particular outcome is the only logical one and seeking a remedy would be the next best step… being put in the hospital is the only remedy that seems plausible in his mind.

"… What are you seeing?"

"… Uh… I'd rather not say, I'd just like treatment," he sighs. "Hallucination causes impaired judgment, placing my teammates and some customers in peril. I'm a danger to my team and I'll be no help on missions until I'm treated, please place me in the hospital."

"… Okay," Tsunade draws out uncertainly. "How about this… You go home tonight and we'll see how you're doing in the morning. If, by then, you still feel as though treatment is needed… I'll place you in the hospital myself."

"Tsunade-hag!" Naruto gasps. "There's nothing wrong with him!"

"… I… agree," Sasuke remarks hesitantly.

"Sasuke-teme!"

"I'll be fine, Naruto-dobe," Sasuke smirks to reassure his friend.

"… I'm staying the night tonight," the blonde basically demands. "I won't let you go through this alone."

"… That would be appreciated."

That night, Sasuke tries to drown out the sounds of the compound while waiting for Naruto to arrive. The two have already decided to eat dinner together and watch a movie before going to bed, usually leaving this sort of thing for a Friday night… neither are really traditional on the 'date night' thing and Naruto can never get a date, so they spend that night together while their friends go out. A knock on the door has Sasuke throwing it open almost eagerly, forgetting that it could've been one of his hallucinations. Naruto's eyes are large and startled, his features relaxing once he sees that Sasuke is standing before him. He greets his partner and the two head back inside, Sasuke glancing back on the compound nervously before closing and locking the door again.

"So, what's for dinner?" Naruto grins.

"I made…" he stops a moment as he notes who else is in the room.

Nori is glaring angrily at Naruto, but Mikoto looks almost pleased to see the little blonde. She smiles over at Nori, noting his angry gaze and hitting him on the shoulder to warn him. He vanishes and Mikoto sighs happily before doing the same, leaving the two to their night.

"Hello, earth to Sasuke!" Naruto says. "Are you gonna answer me?"

"Naruto, what would you say if I told you I see dead people?" Sasuke blurts out. "That's a hallucination, right?"

"Well… I guess that would depend on your species," Naruto muses. "Kyuubi told me that when humans see dead people, they're not _really_ sick in the head they can _actually_ see them. It's a demon trait, you see, and some humans that inherit it are from a line so watered down through years of breeding… demon to human, half-breed to human, that child to a human, and so on… that when it activates they deem it insanity."

"My clan has no demon blood in it," Sasuke frowns.

"_Every_ clan has demon blood in it _somewhere_, where do you think all those bloodline limits come from?" Naruto laughs. "Come on, I'm hungry. We can talk about this later; we have all night after all."

After dinner, the two sit down to a movie. It's gotten rather cold through the house, so they curl up in a blanket together and eat some popcorn. Sasuke is sitting behind Naruto with his body curled along his back snuggly, Naruto sitting before him and leaning into his chest as they watch the horror flick. Sasuke has never been affected by horror movies, but Naruto has always been particularly easy to scare during them. It's usually a fascination and favored pastime of Sasuke's to scare the shit out of him, but on this particular night he's just not feeling the urge to. To tell the truth, he's scared himself… but not of the movie. There's just something about the anger is Nori's eyes that's been nagging him, something his mind is screaming for him to remember before it's too late. The lights flicker at that moment, tensing Naruto up as he notices. Sasuke rubs his back unconsciously, trying to soothe his friend as best he can when his own nerves are on the verge of short circuiting completely. They flicker again, one more time after, and then they go out completely leaving them in the dark.

"Sasuke, I'm not one to believe in ghosts and stuff," Naruto whispers quietly with a tremble in his tone. "But if this house is haunted, I'm pretty certain they're trying to tell us something."

"It doesn't matter, Naruto," Sasuke sighs miserably. "They're gone, they don't exist anymore… they're just hallucinations."

His voice is a whisper at the end, the statement hanging in the air with their need to believe in those words. They get up and head into the kitchen together, Sasuke grabbing a flashlight from the drawer by the sink and turning it on. The silence is deafening to Naruto, who absolutely hates the quiet, but Sasuke has become accustom to it and he soundlessly leads Naruto upstairs to bed. They usually don't share a room, but tonight the two just can't stand to be alone. Sasuke opens the door to his room, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of his parents' bodies lying in their own blood just like that night, and he pushes Naruto away before heaving onto the wooden floor away from the blonde.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asks.

"… Nothing," he says quietly before spitting out the taste of bile in his mouth. "Let's sleep on the couch tonight."

"… Okay."

They stop at the bathroom so Sasuke can wash his mouth, and then they head back down to the living room to lie on the couch. Sasuke is on the bottom, Naruto lying is his embrace half on top of him as the couch can barely hold them both, and they try to ignore the feeling of someone watching them. Sasuke holds Naruto tighter, closing his eyes just as tightly to keep out anything he might see. He can feel Naruto tremble against him, not wanting to let go and knowing his blonde friend shouldn't be here.

"You can go, if you want," he says quietly.

"… Will you come with me?"

"No. I made a deal with Tsunade and I don't intend on breaking it."

"I wish I couldn't sense them," Naruto murmurs.

"… Look at me," Sasuke says in a near whisper.

Naruto looks up and is surprised when his best friend's lips are on his, pressing tightly and working to hold one hundred percent of his undivided attention. After a moment, Naruto begins to respond positively and Sasuke shifts them carefully to lay his friend beneath him.

"Hey, how come you get top?" Naruto pouts.

"I'm stronger than you, I'm older than you, and you _still_ haven't learned how to toss me when I pin you," Sasuke states arrogantly. "When you do, then I'll actually have to _fight_ for this spot, but _until_ you do I automatically get it. So there."

"That's not fair."

"Life's not fair, deal with it," Sasuke shrugs.

He starts to play at Naruto's neck, sucking on his collar bone to leave a mark and nipping at the slender column of his tan neck. Naruto giggles, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's shoulders and kissing his lips deeply. They're so engrossed in each other, that they almost scream upon hearing a lamp's bulb simply blow up. They gaze at the shattered glass, glancing at one another and then decide it best to just go to sleep. They don't know when it was or how long they had to wait, but eventually they both doze off… both holding tightly to the other like they were their lifeline… and they probably were.

The sun rises and Naruto wakes to find that Sasuke is gone, panic racing through his being at a rate that overwhelms him. It takes an annoyed Kyuubi to point out that his chakra signature is upstairs to calm him, the ancient fox demon going back to sleep with a muttered 'Damn kittling, what was I thinking giving birth to such a spastic brat?'. Naruto races upstairs, taking them two at a time to reach his friend. He finds him in a room he can only guess belonged to him when he was a child, as he knows the room he has now was his parents. Sasuke is lying on the floor a bit dazed and obviously in pain, though the confusion swimming in his eyes tells the blonde fox that he has absolutely no idea how he got it. His clothes are torn in some places, cuts dug deep into his alabaster skin, and his cheeks are still wet from tears that probably spilled in his sleep.

"Sasuke, are you alright?" Naruto asks immediately.

"Naruto? How'd I get here?" Sasuke wonders with a raspy voice.

"I don't know, Sasuke-teme, I just woke up and you were gone," Naruto cries. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

"… I don't know," Sasuke says in confusion. "I was dreaming about… about…"

"You can tell me, teme."

"… I was little and my father just took me to bed," Sasuke says dazed. "He doesn't do that, he never did that… only a few times. He did that time, but it wasn't like the first time. People were there, lots of people… they were bad people… _he_ was a bad person…"

"Sasuke?"

"Huh?" Sasuke states seeming to snap out of a trance.

"You were telling me about your dream."

"I… I don't really want to talk about it anymore, Naruto."

"That's okay, Sasuke, I understand," Naruto smiles warmly to calm his friend. "Let's get you to Tsunade. She'll _have_ to put you in the hospital after this!"

They reach Tsunade's tower and she can only stare in shock at the injuries sustained by Sasuke, wondering briefly if Naruto helped him hurt himself just to get him where he wanted.

"Hallucinations can't do this, Sasuke," she sighs. "Now, what are you seeing?"

"… Hallucinations," he says adamantly. "They're not real, they're gone… They're hallucinations and I'll think nothing different."

"You could think a shuriken is a kunai, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a shuriken," she remarks. "_What_ are you _seeing_?"

"Go ahead, Sasuke, just tell her," Naruto urges.

"… Dead people," he sighs in defeat.

"… You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm not. I'm seeing my entire clan roaming around my compound, day and night, I'm also seeing those that died here during the war with Akatsuki… and I'm seeing the Fourth Hokage standing behind you."

"WHAT!"

"Okay, so I fibbed about that last one," Sasuke smirks. "But I'm certain he's still walking around, Konoha is his home after all and he did die rather violently."

"No, he's in the mountains with my mother," Naruto remarks easily. "Mommy only checks up on me when she feels my emotions spike wildly, so she spends most of her time with daddy in the mountains. He was my test subject when I learned how to resurrect and shift genetic codes… He's a kitsune now."

"… Sasuke, you are my most gifted… if not terribly mislead… shinobi," Tsunade sighs. "To hear you saying such things is… well, it's unthinkable. If it were anyone but you… Naruto especially… I would send you packing with as many broken bones as I could get in one hit. However… seeing as it's you, my most reasonable shinobi, I can't simply chalk it up to insanity or a good prank."

"And? What am I supposed to do about it?" Sasuke frowns. "I can't go back home, because everyone from my family is still walking about as though they belong there… my parents are still living in my house! I can't go back to Nori, I just can't."

"Is that the only one you're worried about?" Tsunade wonders.

"Look what he did to me!" Sasuke shouts. "Of course I'm worried about being around him, he's evil!"

"… Nori did this?"

"Would I make that up? If it were anyone else that happened to be alive, they wouldn't be for much longer!" Sasuke growls. "Now, please… tell me what's wrong with me."

"I've never really heard of this happening to anyone before," Tsunade sighs miserably. "Not even within the Uchiha clan has this come up… I really don't know what's wrong with you, Sasuke."

"… I do," Naruto says quietly.

They both turn to look at him in surprise, shocked that the village idiot would know anything about something this complicated. It just goes to prove that Naruto is much smarter than he lets on, surprising them further with his cunning in deception.

"It's something called the 'Eyes of the Demon'," Naruto sighs. "Only one demon has ever managed to use them successfully, as anyone else born with them has gone insane."

"Who's managed to use them, could they teach me how?" Sasuke asks eagerly.

"Only the demon it originated within could use them," Naruto sighs. "He went into hibernation eons ago… back when my mom was still rather young, probably less than one hundred."

"Where can we find him?" Tsunade wonders.

"… You can't. This particular demon was feared to the point of betrayal," Naruto states uncomfortably. "He was forced into hibernation, something that would, in effect, kill his body and send his soul into rebirth. Unfortunately, his soul was much too powerful for just any vessel. He's spent the last three thousand years or so trying to find a worthy vessel strong enough to manage his power… the power over death and destruction."

"… You can't be serious," Sasuke mumbles in shock.

"Sorry, Sasuke, but the 'Eyes of the Demon' are meant to watch the dead and hold power over them. With this power, the demon known as Chaos of the Balance could create a soul from air, kill with a single look, or even wipe a soul from existence. He was the ultimate creature of old; no one and nothing has ever managed to become more powerful than he."

"Great, now what am I supposed to do?" Sasuke asks bitterly.

"Of course, I can't say I'm not surprised," Naruto sighs. "I've never heard of that particular power manifesting itself within a human before… Normally, it surfaces within snow leopard descendants."

Sasuke seems surprised, but a side glance at Tsunade shows that she's hiding something rather badly. The young Uchiha immediately turns on her, glaring heatedly at the thought of not being told something to warn him of this nightmare. She recognizes the look and sighs in defeat before he can get too hostile, opening a drawer in her desk to lift up the bottom and rummage through a secret compartment.

"Here," she states as she drops a large envelope in front of him. "This was your mother's, but you weren't to have it until your seal broke."

"Seal? Orochimaru's?"

"No… Nori's."

"What?"

"You were never Nori's child and that infuriated him," she sighs. "Your father was a demon that was good friends with your mother, so good in fact that she offered to bear him an heir. He was always quite picky about mating and refused to have children before the offer, as Mikoto was a rather powerful and kind person."

"… I'm… the son of a demon?"

"Yo, you called for me, Hokage?" Kakashi wonders walking in with his book. "I have to say, I've been feeling some rather strange chakra activity… it's beginning to worry me."

He looks up to see the three staring at him strangely, turning to leave at Tsunade's sudden grin of malicious joy.

"Kakashi, speak of the demon," she grins. "Sasuke, Kakashi is a snow leopard… and your mother's best friend."

"… Do you think a fall from the window would kill me?" Sasuke mutters to Naruto.

"I don't think you're that lucky."

"Damn."

"Kakashi, check Sasuke's seal… it would appear that he's inherited a rather dangerous talent for talking with the dead."

"Oh man… I was hoping that would pass him up," he growls.

"It's bad isn't it?" Sasuke asks a bit panicked.

"No, it's not bad… well, not entirely," Kakashi sighs. "You see, cub, Chaos of the Balance is only half of a whole. Without his other half… he'll die."

"What!"

"Calm down, calm down. The fact that you're still alive is a good sign. Once Chaos is born, his other half only has the span of a year to be born afterward… or the child born as Chaos will die. Now we just have to find your other half."

"And that would be?"

"Harmony of the Balance, the mother of life… whereas he's the father of death."

"How do we know her?"

"Well… she also has the 'Eyes of a Demon', except hers can see through a person's soul. She can see everything about them, from the beginning of their life to the end. They called her the Day Oracle, one with the ability to see the past and the future."

"And how do we find her?"

"Uh… Is it imperative he's with her?" Naruto wonders curiously.

"Why? Do you know someone with that ability?" Kakashi asks.

"… Yeah, you could say that."

"Where is she?" Kakashi wonders urgently. "Who is she? It's very important Sasuke's with her, Naruto; she's a focal point for his powers. Without her, he could go insane and destroy the world."

"That makes me feel a whole lot better, thanks."

"Well… her name's Kaiya," Naruto sighs in defeat. "She's… a lot closer than you think."

"Where? Where can we find her?" Tsunade asks. "Just spit it out, brat."

"… You're looking at her."

"… Very funny, Naruto, but this is a bit serious. Now, do you know where to find Harmony of the Balance or not?" Kakashi sighs.

"Yes… Kaiya is Harmony of the Balance and she's right here… in this room… right now."

"Naruto, now isn't the time for jokes," Tsunade growls.

"… I don't think he's joking, Tsunade," Sasuke remarks. "I haven't seen him that red since he told me Kyuubi was adamant about getting us together… He was even redder when he told me what she thought of me, in her exact words. I was rather red for that one as well, but it wasn't out of embarrassment."

"Naruto, show us where Kaiya is," Kakashi sighs.

"… No."

"No? What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean 'no'; I don't want to show you."

"Naruto, this is for Sasuke," Tsunade tries to reason. "He's your best friend, remember? You'd do anything for him. How hard is it to simply show us where a simple girl is?"

"You don't know Kaiya, she's not a simple anything," Naruto huffs. "I'm doing you guys a favor keeping her away, so you should be thanking me. She's not anything like you're thinking. I know what you're thinking, you're thinking she'll be all sweet and kind and loving… you're wrong! She's manipulative, dangerous, and cunning with a side of flirtatious and a dab of 'do anything to get what she wants'. She's not something you just throw into the lives of humans, or demons for that matter. She's the epitome of kitsune lore; she's what nightmares are made of when she's mad and what men dream about when she's not. She has but two modes, wrath of Kyuubi and wet dream. There is no middle, there is no calm or kind or loving. She's a terror with fur and the body of an angel; she'll turn your world upside down and completely annihilate anything you've ever come to count on!"

"Calm down, Naruto," Sasuke sighs patting his back. "I hate to say this, but you're only describing yourself in most of those areas."

"What?" Naruto shrieks with a bright blush.

"You've turned my world upside down, annihilated anything I've come to count on, and I've seen how manipulative and dangerous and cunning you can be," Sasuke states as Kakashi and Tsunade nod in agreement. "I think I can handle her."

"But… if you get her… I have to go away," Naruto pouts. "Do you really want her over me?"

"What are you talking about, Naruto? You don't have to go away and I would never choose someone over you," Sasuke chuckles.

"Kaiya and I… we don't get along. We fight all the time like you and I, only… our fights are demonic and we get carried away rather easily. Mommy's banned us from being anywhere near one another, so if she comes here… I have to leave."

"Could I just… meet her?" Sasuke wonders. "I'd really like to know more about this… power of mine. She could tell me what I need to know, right?"

"Sasuke… she won't give you anything unless you can give her something in return," Naruto warns. "But… I'll let you meet her. Keep in mind though… she's not me… and we're nothing alike."

"All right, I'll keep that in mind."

Naruto closes his eyes, light washing over his body before his shadow envelopes him. When it sinks back to the floor, his body is more feminine and he's got all the right curves in all the right places. His eyes open, still the same brilliant blue to shame both sky and sea, but they hold a different type of knowledge in them.

"Hey, what's up?" the soft spoken female voice grins. "Naru-chan said you wanted to talk to me. He hates when I call him that, it gets him so many pretty shades of red."

The last part is said conspiratorially, the girl leaning forward cutely to whisper it to the three stunned shinobi. As they're trying to gather themselves, she takes them in. Her lips twist into a malicious grin at the sight of their stupefied features, obviously pleased with the reaction.

"Well, hello, handsome," she grins widely at Kakashi. "Aren't you just a tall drink of water, huh? Not really my type, though… of course, when have I ever had a type? I do tend to stray a little closer to bad boys, I suppose."

"Naruto, now is not the time for jokes," Tsunade glares angrily.

"Naruto? No, Naru-chan is sleeping," she laughs. "He didn't tell you guys anything, did he?"

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asks.

"Hmm… well, I might be inclined to tell you a few things," she grins mischievously. "That is, of course, if you have something for me, cutie."

"I have a fist in your gut if you come any closer to me," Sasuke growls.

"Oh, rough housing," she grins. "How'd you know what I'm into?"

"Kaiya, right?" Kakashi asks.

"Correct. You must be Naru-chan's sensei. He never told me you were so cute, but he doesn't tell me a lot of things… he's afraid I'll go visiting while he's asleep," she laughs. "He told me about a sensei that isn't everything he pretends to be, a teammate that's a real teme but is actually nicer than he lets on, and another teammate that's really smart. He's always pretty vague when talking about his day."

"Naruto talks to you?" Tsunade asks.

"Yeah, he talks to me all the time when he's not mad at me," Kaiya grins. "Of course, last time he talked to me was three weeks ago… he's holding a grudge for what I did last time he let me out."

"And what was that?" Kakashi wonders rather liking this new girl.

"I seduced his target," she waves off. "Almost got laid, too, but Naru-chan woke up and forced me back. He never let's me have any fun… Would've done us both some good, you know."

"I've told him that on many occasions," Sasuke muses.

"So… You're Harmony of the Balance," Kakashi chuckles. "You certainly don't seem like you'd be bringing order and harmony to the world."

"Harmony is overrated," Kaiya waves off. "That's Naru-chan's job. I like to mix things up, cause a little discord once in awhile."

"You can't be Harmony of the Balance with that kind of attitude," Tsunade points out.

"Look, you guys most likely just wanted someone with her abilities," Kaiya scoffs. "But… if your little ice cub would give me a kiss… perhaps I'd be inclined to share a few secrets with you. One pertaining to Harmony's whereabouts, one pertaining to the legend of the Balance, and one might be a way to control your little cub's vision problem… or, at least, the soul giving him problems."

"One kiss isn't that much to ask, is it, Sasuke-cub?"

"I'd rather kill myself," he growls turning away.

"Oh, I'm pretty certain Nori will do that for you," she laughs. "But, what do I know about the dead? After all, that's your department."

"… One kiss."

"One for each," she teases. "Unless the first one is deep and long and it makes me feel like you actually care."

"In your dreams. I don't particularly care where Harmony is and I really don't care about the legend behind this curse, I just want it to go away."

"That's a laugh," she scoffs. "Naru-chan wanted his to go away as well, but here I am sixteen years later. You're lucky your vision just happened upon you, Naru-chan had to grow up with me."

"… Your Naruto's 'Eyes of a Demon'?" Kakashi asks.

"Technically… no. I'm a bloodline limit from his mother, it's called the 'Split-Persona' and allows multiple personalities to exist within a single body. You can control your sex genetic and take any form at all, which is one reason why kitsune are considered whimsical. It has a few other interesting abilities, but I'm gonna keep those secret… Naru-chan doesn't even know them and I'm hoping to surprise him big time someday… someday soon, I hope, I'm getting kind of antsy about it."

"… I'll help you surprise Naruto if you tell us everything we want to know without me having to touch you," Sasuke remarks slyly. "I'm pretty good at surprising the dobe, I should be able to catch him off guard for you."

"You are so on, but no take backs or I'll wipe your memory clean of anything I say," Kaiya warns.

"No problem."

"Okay, first of all, Harmony of the Balance can be anything," she states. "Being reborn means getting a completely new life. Harmony is me, but she's also Naru-chan since we're one person and all. That's why you're always so much calmer and happier around Naru-chan."

"Why do you call him that?"

"Because he's a natural submissive," she waves off. "That's his curse I suppose, because he was born a boy and all but he's hard pressed to riot against a more powerful dominant… which we've never come across… well… except one."

"Who?"

"You don't want to know," she blushes. "Anyway, the legend behind them…"

"Don't worry about that," Kakashi states. "I'm certain we can call upon you later should we need to know."

"Right, then… I guess that just leaves your problem back home. You see, your eyes are different than the human Sharingan, because it originated within your blood it's much more powerful and has many more abilities," she explains. "Using your Sharingan on a soul will put it through an hour of complete and total torment, pulling it through the fires of hell and then through a world of ice and snow. I'm positive it'll be hard pressed to bother you again, but if it is… there are other things that can be done against them."

The glint in her eyes is rather evil when she says that, sending a rather strange jolt of eagerness through Sasuke and a shiver of fear through Kakashi and Tsunade.

"What can be done?"

"With Naru-chan at your side, you can trap the soul within a body… but not just any body," she grins maliciously. "It will be formed with the earth and withered with age, but it will never die until you yourself decide so. He'll live an eternity of an aged existence, his mind barely hanging in and his body useless."

"… That's positively evil," Sasuke mumbles in awe. "I like it."

"I thought you would," she grins. "After all, I was imbued with memories from our last life. When Naru-chan was born, he merged with Harmony's soul and the memories were stored within me. When you were born, that seal shielded you from merging with your soul of old. Now that you've gone sixteen years apart, your soul of old will most likely refuse to merge with you completely."

"How do you know that?"

"I can see into a person's soul," she reminds. "Yours is torn in three; one for your human soul, one for your snow leopard soul, and one for your panther soul."

"Panther? Where the hell did the panther come from!" Sasuke shouts in exasperation.

"Well… probably your mom. The Uchiha clan has always held a dormant panther gene, ever since the hibernation of Chaos… half his genetics were sealed within the Uchiha clan and the other half into the snow leopard clan. If you would've listened to the legend, you would've known that. They took extra precautions to ensure he would never be reborn, as the Uchiha clan was originally a clan of demon hunters. Upon gifting them with the Sharingan, the clan began to fulfill their end of their bargain and started breeding with powerful demons to create his new vessel. The Uchiha clan never understood why Chaos was so feared by the demons, but then again… he never did tell them much about himself."

"Great, now my cub has opposing elements!" Kakashi growls. "How many times does his life have to hang by a thread before he's safe?"

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asks.

"Opposing elements can't exist within a cub, they tear them apart trying to fight for dominance over one another," Kakashi sighs. "If they're not compatible, the child dies within the first week of their life."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Kaiya laughs meanly. "Our dominant little Sasuke-teme… was originally supposed to be a female."

"What?" they ask in shock.

"That's right. Snow leopards are normally female when birthed by a human, but panthers are usually male when the father is a powerful dominant. Sasuke was female before his panther genetic activated, effectively turning him into a male… but leaving his feminine features in tact. Wow, I'm surprised Naru-chan never told you this stuff, normally he loves providing people with bad news… he likes the drastic reactions. Okay, I helped you out, now you have to help me out, Sasuke-teme. You have to surprise Naru-chan… and I think you'll like your job even more than you think."

"What do I have to do?" he sighs.

"Don't sound so reluctant, it'll benefit you more than you'd expect it to," she frowns. "Come here, I'm gonna whisper it to you… I don't want anyone, not even you, ruining the surprise. Oh, he's gonna hate me so much for this! I'm so excited!"

Sasuke leans closer and listens to her, her breathe brushing against his ear gently as his face gets all the redder with every word that passes those lips. Finally, she pulls away and gives a mischievous grin before that shadow swallows her up and leaves them with a confused and sleepy Naruto.

"What'd I miss?" he yawns.

"Oh… not much… Naru-chan," Sasuke teases.

"What'd you..? Oh, I'm gonna kill her!"

"Don't get too angry, Naruto-Dobe," Sasuke chuckles. "She helped out quite a bit… and I didn't even have to give her anything."

"… She didn't ask you for anything?" he asks a bit stunned before paling. "Did she ask Kakashi-sensei for anything?"

"No. We had an understanding about her helping us out," Sasuke smiles. "She wanted me to give her a kiss for every question answered, but… I managed to make a deal with her that didn't involve me touching her whatsoever."

"That's great… what was the deal?" Naruto asks suspiciously.

"Don't worry about it, Dobe," Sasuke smiles. "Right now, I have a soul to deal with back home… want to come? You know… in case I can't manage to persuade him away from me?"

"I think I know what she said I would do, Sasuke-teme, but I don't do that kind of stuff… its mean and wrong," Naruto frowns. "Besides, I don't utilize my demon power… Kaiya does."

"Don't worry, I'm sure we can think of something," Sasuke smiles encouragingly. "I just need you there to make sure I don't get hurt again."

"Oh… okay, I can do that."

The two stand within the confines of Sasuke's home, staring down his parents after they answered his call. Mikoto is positively glowing with happiness and pride, but Nori looks like he wants to kill Sasuke for showing the very power that his clan has been trying to cage.

"I'm not happy," Sasuke frowns in a very dominating tone.

Immediately, Mikoto's smile flinches and Nori has a visible shiver passing along his spine. The sight both unnerves Sasuke and fuels his fire, the knowledge of having an edge over those he was once weaker than sending a jolt of malicious joy through him.

"Mother," he says to the nervous female. "You may go, you've done nothing to anger me."

*Don't scare me like that, cub, * Mikoto sighs in relief. *I thought for sure you were angry with me about not telling you Kakashi was your father. *

"You were doing what you thought was best, something every mother does for their children," Sasuke explains in a silky voice dripping with his demonic nature. "I cannot berate you for doing what you think is in my best interest."

*You're a very understanding boy, cub, * Mikoto smiles softly. *It makes me sad to think that I wasn't able to instill this compassion within you. *

"… You had more to do with it than you think," he smiles as she vanishes. "As for you, Nori… you have angered me."

*Your very existence angers me, so what? * Nori huffs.

Sasuke's Sharingan flares to life, trapping Nori in place as he steps closer. Sasuke lifts a clawed finger to Nori's chin, the boy having reverted to his demonic snow leopard form a while ago, and lifts Nori to look at him.

"I will give you a warning this time, Nori," Sasuke states coldly. "But challenge me again and I will allow you choice between being pulled through fire and ice… or living within a decrepit body for as long as I see fit. That last will probably be a long time, by the way… I really don't take well to being challenged."

*And you're only warning me now, why? *

"You're family, as much as I hate to admit it," Sasuke sighs. "Naruto likes the idea of having family and he'd get angry if I were to harm them. So count yourself lucky, if it weren't for Naruto I would've done _both_."

The tone of his voice is chilling even to the spirit before him, the demonic ice of his soul tinting it with a subzero chill. Nori nods, his eyes showing Sasuke the understanding that's transpired, and vanishes with an audible gulp at the frigid black ice covering Sasuke's once warm onyx eyes. Naruto is on the front stoop talking animatedly with a few of the older spirits, his ability to sense them making Sasuke wonder exactly how much power the youth refuses to exhibit.

"Naruto… Having fun?"

"Yeah, these guys are a laugh riot," Naruto grins. "You wouldn't believe what kind of trouble half of them got into in their youth. I love these guys, they're great!"

"I'm glad you're happy with them," Sasuke smiles softly. "My family is your family."

"… Are you serious? You're gonna bring me into your family like this?"

"Of course, you're my best friend," Sasuke states. "Come on, let's grab some dinner and get to sleep. I'd appreciate it if you stayed tonight; I'm still not too sure about having my deceased family roaming around… It's creepy."

"Not a problem, I'd love to stay," Naruto grins.

Sasuke makes dinner for them, making certain to cook something that Naruto likes, and they eat quietly. Nori and Mikoto aren't around to bother them this time, sending a flood of relief through Sasuke as he's planning on helping out Kaiya tonight. They watch a movie after dinner, Sasuke holding Naruto close as they wrap up in a blanket like last time. The blonde is comfortable, much more so with Sasuke than with any of the other demons that have courted him, and he doesn't really mind when his best friend begins to press his dominance with him. Naruto has found that Sasuke is the only demon that has been able to dominate him without him feeling indignant about it, so he doesn't really fight much when he's lain back. Being with his best friend makes him happier than he's ever been, the blonde being a kitsune making this feeling all the rarer. He doesn't hold back anything as Sasuke moves above him, wanting to make his best friend as happy as he's making him. Their movements are rough but playful, something akin to their usual spars as they fight in a totally different way. Once Sasuke plants his seed deep within Naruto and the blonde feels himself tumble over the edge, Sasuke pulls Naruto close to him and they fall asleep on the couch. Naruto cuddles up close to his best friend, Sasuke wrapping his arms tightly around the blonde as he violently beats down the urge to mark him… the last thing he needs is for his lover to get angry with him and kitsune do _not_ get marked without their mate getting beat down to the point of near death.

The sun shines through the living room window to stir Sasuke, the blonde fox already awake and locked in the bathroom. Sasuke knocks on the door, but cringes at the sound of Naruto heaving in the toilet. He sighs and stoops to pick the lock, opening the door to see his best friend hovering over the toilet with Mikoto rubbing his back kindly. She sends a worried look to Sasuke, noting that he's not too worried at all and relaxing a bit at the sight.

"I've got him now, mother, you can go," Sasuke assures. "I think we need some time alone."

*Of course, cub, * she nods before walking out.

"I don't feel well, Sasuke-teme," Naruto whines.

"I really didn't expect you to," Sasuke sighs. "I'm really sorry about this, Naruto-dobe… but… remember that agreement I made with Kaiya?"

"What'd you do!" Naruto glares angrily.

"… Kaiya told me I had to sleep with you in order for her to tell me anything," Sasuke sighs. "I mean, I don't mind sleeping with you… I was going for that the other night when Nori started blowing up my light bulbs. Anyway, the reason behind the deal… which I had no idea what she wanted before I made the deal and she threatened me with a mind wash… was to get you… uh… well…"

"Spit it out, teme!" Naruto shouts seething.

"… To get you pregnant," Sasuke remarks meekly. "But I swear I wanted to be with you before that."

"… I can't believe you," Naruto glares. "How could you? I bet you marked me, too, didn't you?"

"Of course not, I'm not that stupid," Sasuke scoffs. "I _refuse_ to mark a kitsune of _your_ power without consent; I don't have a death wish after all."

"… Thank you," Naruto sighs quietly. "I'm sorry for my mood swings, but mother told me this morning that I only carry for a week since I'm a demon of life… I'll be going through everything a bit quicker than usual."

"I don't mind," Sasuke assures. "I'm actually quite excited to have a few cubs of my own… especially with you."

Naruto blushes at this, but doesn't have time to say anything more as his stomach protests the information given. He spends most of the day throwing up, Sasuke taking care of him with Mikoto when needed. Everyone is in an uproar about the news that was 'accidentally' leaked by Ino, who found out from Neji, who learned it from Hinata, who was told by Sakura, who was confided in by Kakashi, who was overjoyed when Sasuke shared the news with him. Sasuke wanted to beat his head against the wall when he opened his door to see half of Konoha standing on the other side with presents and warm greetings, though Naruto was happy that everyone showed such love for his unborn child. The only reason Sasuke didn't send them all away by telling his family to scare the shit out of them, was because Naruto seemed so happy with the presents for the baby and the warm conversations from those in the village. He watched though, waiting, hoping someone would do something stupid to incur his wrath… oh, how he waited with bated breath. The girls had gotten together and invited everyone for a party, the women for the baby shower and the men for a diaper party. Everything was going perfectly… until one of Naruto's demonic suitors showed up. This particular suitor had been attempting, and failing, to get Naruto for some time now. He chalked all his failures up to the fact that Sasuke immediately hated him for some reason, showing up now to confirm his thoughts as to why… The young Uchiha had been trying to get Naruto for himself.

"Naruto, what is all this?" he snaps angrily. "I told you I'd be back in a week, what the hell are you doing here?"

"… Sasuke and I… we're having a cub."

"I don't think so," Trae frowns. "You're coming with me… Now!"

He grabs Naruto's wrist and pulls, the little blonde panicking as he thinks about what harm could come to his cub at the hands of this fire demon's temper. He does the first thing that comes to mind, berating himself for doing it and reminding himself that carrying a child makes him vulnerable when fighting… he needs his mate.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screams in a panic.

Silence falls over the gathering, everyone turning their eyes to the demon pulling Naruto away, and then an icy chill hangs heavily in the air as everyone turns to see a seething Sasuke complete with an aura that casts a sudden frost about five feet in either direction.

"Hey! Let go of my mate," Sasuke growls infuriated.

As a shinobi, Sasuke is scary enough when angry… but as a demon, those around him want nothing more than to pee their pants and run off screaming bloody murder. They all move away, making a path for the raging teen that's just enough to keep them from freezing in his aura. Trae turns to look at Sasuke, shocked at the frost and ice that trails behind him, but doesn't remove his hand from Naruto's wrist. The blonde is almost in tears now, feeling an unnatural helplessness as he's pressed between two furious dominants that are no doubt about to fight over him. He's afraid for his cub, as he knows if he gets caught in the middle of their fight he'll lose it.

"Please, Sasuke," he begs. "Please, don't fight. Please. Please, wait until I'm out of the way, I don't want to lose my cub… our cub."

"I would never let that happen," Sasuke soothes Naruto in a calmer and more caring tone.

"I would," Trae scoffs. "Naruto is mine, I won't lose him to obligation… especially not to you, snow leopard."

"Naruto is not obligated to do anything," Sasuke huffs. "He's with me because he wants to be, not because he has to be. If he had to be, I would've marked him already."

"Then that's your mistake," Trae points out. "An unmarked submissive is a submissive up for grabs."

"Over my dead body," Sasuke growls heatedly as his spots bleed into the white fur of his snow leopard tail and ears.

Naruto panics further upon seeing Sasuke's third soul take over… the one consumed with insanity and fury. Trae has pulled up the beast of death, one that most likely won't be as merciful as Sasuke… one that doesn't care if Naruto or his cub dies. Naruto starts to cry, his tears hitting the ground beneath him and causing flowers to bloom at his feet.

"Quiet down, breeder," the panther snaps in Sasuke's body. "I can't hear myself think."

The panther's voice is completely different from Sasuke's, rough and growling with a hint of silky seduction and the crackle of a caressing fire. It sends a shiver through Naruto, one of lust instead of fear. The panther within Sasuke was the dominating persona in his last life, not having a split persona back then and thriving off chaos and mayhem. Naruto remembers his carelessness back then, fear sending a cold wash through him and causing him to cry harder. The panther looks away, one eye closed in irritation as he listens to… something.

"You're with cub," he states. "The runt has warned me against harming you or his cub, so you're safe. If I anger the runt, he won't let me out again… I don't want that, it'd be boring with no one but the wench to talk to."

"… Who?" Tsunade mutters to Kakashi.

"The wench, the wench!" the panther snarls. "The frosty _bitch_ I share the runt with!"

"… Must mean the snow leopard element," Kakashi mutters.

"That's what I said, pay attention! Anyway, I have permission to kill the demon harassing you and blood is what I intend to spill," he states in an as-if manner. "So… shall I peel off your skin or burn you alive?"

The question is asked with such glee and insanity, that Naruto seriously has to wonder how close to the panther Sasuke's personality runs… he swears he's seen that look on his best friend. Trae's grip has loosened and Naruto tries to pull away, but Trae pulls him back against him immediately. His claws are at Naruto's throat, forcing his head to the side as his fangs hover over the junction of his neck and shoulder. The panther controlling Sasuke's body stares at the fire demon blankly, confusion obvious upon his fiery features.

"… What are you doing?" he wonders calmly.

"If you take one more step, I'll mark him… or tear out his throat, I haven't decided yet," he states pleased.

"… And you think I actually care about that blonde fox?" the panther scoffs before giving out a dark laugh. "Take him for all I care, I'll sleep like a baby either way. I'm Chaos of the Balance, after all, I'll have him in life or death it makes no difference."

"… Chaos… of the Balance?" the fire demon shivers in fear.

"That's right, and within these walls is an army of the dead. A million or so demon hunting Uchiha at my command… wow, I'm pretty lucky, huh?" he says happily. "I have an army of dead Uchiha, a powerful little runt to brag about, a frosty bitch to boss around, and a submissive kitsune to tease… could this get any better?"

"You're also the heir to the demon throne," Kakashi points out helpfully.

"It _can_! This lifetime is _much_ better than the last one," Chaos grins widely. "I have so much more than I used to!"

"Technically, _Sasuke_ has more than you used to," Kakashi points out once more.

"… If you weren't his dad, I'd _kill_ you for that comment," Chaos snarls viciously.

"Than I'm glad I'm his dad," the snow leopard grins toothily.

Trae pulls Naruto away further, completely bent on getting away before the panther's attention is focused back on him. Naruto mewls in protest, the panther turning toward them with an uncaring look upon his features. He huffs in annoyance, as if protecting a mate is simply a chore he'd rather not do.

"Burned alive it is," he states with a sigh.

His eyes gleam a brilliant crimson, the fire demon letting go of Naruto and backing away with a pained and shocked expression before he bursts into flames. The screaming has Naruto in tears again, though Sasuke's lips have twisted into a malicious grin of pleasure. Kakashi and the others have backed away from their young Uchiha's form, shivering in fear as they note the insanity behind the laugh that now emanates from him. It's abruptly halted as Sasuke regains control and rushes over to a bawling Naruto, holding him closely in an attempt to console him. He'll have to have a heated argument with the half of Chaos called Hellfire later… after the other half called Frostbite gets done with him, that is. At the thought of the female completely trouncing the fiery male, Sasuke's lips twitch in a pleased smile. Frostbite was never one for mercy, especially when dealing with her counterpart.

"Its okay, Naruto, everything is fine now," Sasuke smiles. "I'm back and I won't let Hellfire out without a stern talking to… after Frostbite gets done with him."

"Who are they?" Sakura questions.

"Chaos was once one soul," Sasuke sighs. "But when the seal was placed on me to shield me from them, it split that soul into two. Now, the snow leopard refers to herself as Frostbite and the panther refers to himself Hellfire. They're a real pain, but they see me as their cub and they're rather agreeable at most times… though I have to say, watching Frostbite have her little 'talks' with Hellfire is most amusing. He's surprisingly scared of her wrath, leaving her to be the more dominant of the two… hence my snow leopard appearance."

The party ends on a happier note, as everyone gathered there has relaxed and calmed down after the display of power given by Sasuke. Now they know better than to harass Naruto, though the majority are his friends anyway. Once everyone has gone home and their friends have helped clean up the party, Sasuke catches Naruto walking toward the door.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

"Home," Naruto replies with a smile. "I have to water my plants and clean my apartment. I'll see you tomorrow during training, okay? Later, teme."

"No," Sasuke frowns.

"… What?"

"I said no, you have to stay here."

"And why is that?" the blonde fox glares.

"So I can watch out for you," Sasuke remarks as though it's obvious. "I don't want you getting hurt, you could have more demonic suitors out there bent on visiting."

"You're not my mate, I can do what I want!"

"Naruto… I didn't mark you to be polite," Sasuke says calmly though his tone drips with warning. "But if you threaten to take my cub away or place it in danger like this afternoon… you'll find my fangs in your throat faster than you can blink."

"… You won't take my freedom away," Naruto whispers before running out the door.

Sasuke stands there, stunned and unable to process what Naruto just said. He would never do something like that, would never even dream to think of anything like that. Naruto is his best friend, his soul mate, how could he think Sasuke would cage him? Sakura is beside him with a curious look on her face, placing a hand on his shoulder to shake him from his stupor.

"Is everything okay?" she asks.

"Yes… Naruto is just… feeling caged, is all."

"Oh, perhaps I can ease his mind," Sakura smiles. "He'll need a female to talk to, after all, and I'm pretty close to him. He's called me his sister on many occasions."

"I would appreciate it, Sakura," Sasuke sighs. "I don't think anything I say will make him feel any better… it is technically my fault this is happening."

Naruto is sweeping his floor when Sakura knocks on his door, opening it afterward and not waiting for him to answer. This is usual for them, as Sakura is the only one besides Iruka and his other two teammates that visits… Kakashi rarely and Sasuke every now and then. He looks up from what he's doing to watch her, curiosity drawn along his features.

"Hey, Naruto, Sasuke says you're feeling a little caged," she smiles softly. "Is everything okay?"

"… I don't know, Sakura," he sighs. "Everything is happening so fast and this afternoon, it was clear to me that Sasuke-teme sees me as his possession. To go that far to keep me… he's going to mark me, I know he is."

"Is that bad? Don't you want to be with him?"

"I don't want to be marked!" Naruto growls. "I'm a kitsune, we're free spirited creatures and a mark will only chain us to the one that possesses us."

"Sasuke would never do that, you should know better," Sakura frowns. "He just wants to protect you, that's all. I'm certain he won't be this overbearing once the cub is born."

"… I guess, but…"

"No, no buts," she frowns. "He's lost so much already, Naruto, it only makes sense that he'd be so overprotective of you. Now you march back there and tell him you're sorry for doubting him! Do it _right now_, or I'll beat you down after the cub's born!"

"… Okay, okay," Naruto states defensively as his color pales at the thought of an angry Sakura. "I'm going, don't freak out on me."

Sasuke is sleeping fitfully when Naruto sneaks in, the fox not wanting to wake him and having a key to the house. He slips into bed beside his best friend, cuddling up to him and noting that he immediately relaxes at the familiar touch. He looks into Sasuke's calmed features, smiling to himself as one onyx eye of black ice opens to peer down at him. Sasuke gives him a soft smile before sighing happily, closing that eye to go back to sleep with the knowledge that he's forgiven.

A week later, Naruto has a little boy. The boy has snow leopard features and silver hair, his black eyes as icy as his father's and his nature just as quiet. Naruto calls him Neko, Sasuke insisting he have Kakashi's last name. The blonde fox, after that week of thinking it over, agreed to allow Sasuke to place a temporary mark on his wrist. For three months, Naruto will belong to him and when it's over they'll talk about remaking the bond… but never will he allow a permanent mark on his neck. The first day, Sasuke notes that Neko watches the world around him with a rather deep intellect brimming within those eyes. That's the first day he realized that Neko's eyes can see the dead, just like his own. He would worry about it, but he knows the trait is genetic… he was meant to have the Eyes of a Demon.


End file.
